PHP Do's And Don't

[Supermighty]

I'm not saying that a forum built on off-the-shelf software can't be used and loved and a good successful community. I'm thinking about "success" in my own particular way. My goals are to build a forum/community with millions of users that I can run like a business. One that supports me, my family and employees with a full-time paycheck. The current forum scene is saturated with large forums, that run mostly stock off-the-shelf software (so it can be done), and any new challenger would need something special and unique to stand apart. Custom programming.

But... even for smaller forums I think custom programming is very helpful. Anything to offer a unique experience or value helps.

 

[CiullaWins]

This post has really opened my eyes. You have genially taught me some stuff that I will use for the rest if my coding career. I have a real bad habit of trying to be different with my code so I guess you can say I try and reinvent the wheel which is kind of pointless.

 

[kingofdice66]

I tend to disagree. Frameworks are good tools when you dont have time or will to build your own foundation for application, but they are dont make "only real option" as people tend to represent.

I know people love to go with that "dont reinvent the wheel!" thing. Its true, but ask yourself... is every wheel the same? Can I take wheel from my bicycle and assemble it in my car? Or one of those bullet-trains that go at 350kliks per hour? No. "Reinventing wheel" means trying to find new usage for exsisting, extremly basic principle. Wheel can roll in one direction on more or less flat surface.

Frameworks are nothing else than ready wheels to put in your car. I want a car but I dont want to design my own wheels for it, I take exsisting wheels, like Symfony or Zend. I am building bullet train or martian rover? I design my own wheels to maximalise my project capabilities.

Also... I tried to find a ready wheel for myself and gived up. Some frameworks show me their authors have no idea what MVC is (and simply call their stuff "Model", "View" and "Controller"). Some equal Model to ORM, other produce stuff that does so ridiculous amount of processing on dumb things I have no idea if they writed it cos they want it to be used, or cos they want it to look good on screenies.

ALSO

There is other issue with people avoiding their own coding in favor of frameworks... experience. There is only one way to become good programmer: write lotsa and lotsa and losta code... different code. DB abstractions, Cache engines, Sessions, ACL, files, internationalisation, mails, everything. People who assume "screw it, ima go with framework" take easy way and leave themself with less experience.

They dont understand how something works, they have no idea how to make it better or worse because they gived it little attention themself. They also make most irritating type of coders out there to discuss improvements in your not-frameworked project, right after guys that want to write everything in MVC bout have no idea what MVC really is. They dont understand how stuff like cache or DB Abstraction or sessions or authorisation or autoloading works, so they cannot objectively judge your approach to things. But they know Frameworks are made by gods of php, so they jump on you with yadayada that your cude cannot be good and should be replaced with one from framework.

Exactly. If you take away their favorite frameworks, they struggle like a fish out of water. They don't know the core languages underneath those frameworks. If you go on any website, forum, blog .etc and say that you don't use any frameworks, you will get jumped on by all, it's like you put a flame underneath their buts, that's how mad they get. I don't exactly call those people "programmers".